Carolyn Warner is best known for her service as Arizona’s Secretary of Public Instruction.  She was the first non-educator to hold this position and did so for an unprecedented 3 terms. During her tenure Arizona’s public education system was one of the nation’s best:  funding levels, including teachers’ salaries, were above national average, test scores were on the rise.  Among her achievements was establishing Jobs for Arizona’s Graduates (JAG);  some 40,000 students have graduated from high school and gone on to rewarding careers.  Appropriately, during her tenure there was increased involvement of the business community in education policy.

 

Carolyn was Co-founder and Chair of Corporate//Education Consulting, Inc. , a national-scope consulting firm.  Its services focused on workplace issues, economic development, leadership and public affairs. She was recognized as a respected and effective advocate for public education

 

An acclaimed public speaker and author, she led delegations to Austria, Germany, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Spain and China.  She held appointments by 4 Presidents (Ford, Carter, G. W. Bush and Clinton), advising them on such issues as skill standards, paperwork reduction, small business and education finance.  Through the strength of her character, Carolyn Warner made Arizonans more focused on education and student achievement.  A strong advocate for women,  she founded Charter 100 and the AZ Chapter of the International Women’s Forum.

 

As a community leader puts it:  Carolyn Warner was a formidable women, remarkable for her lifetime of stunning achievement and significant accomplishments. . . .a role model for women of all ages.